Apparatus for refrigerating comestibles



March 10, 1925. 1,528,890

P. w. PETERSEN APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING COMESTIBLES Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

PATENT OFFlCE.'-

PAUL W. PETERSEN, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATIN'G COMESTIBLES.

Application filed April 5, 1922, Serial No. 549,860. Renewed September 17, 1924.

iently handled in large quantities and be subjected to the action of a liquid refrigerant without having the comestibles suffer any deleterious effects.

More particularly my invention relates to improvements in containers for comestibles which are adapted to facilitate the refrigerating operation as well as the handling of the comestibles both before and after sub-' jecting them to a refrigerating action.

By means of the apparatus of my present invention, comestibles may be readily handled in large quantities and all simultaneously refrigerated to a highly uniform and satisfactoryv degree by immersion in a refrigerated non-congealing liquid or brine bath. Through the medium of my present apparatus, the bulk of the comestible may be brought into close proximity with the refrigerant but, however, not in direct contact therewith which would, of course, cause contamination of the comestiblesand very likely impart to the refrigerated articles a highly disagreeable taste.

One object, therefore, of my invention is to provide apparatus for the economical handling and refrigerating of comestibles by immersing them in a refrigerant and, at

the same time, having the comestibles in-- closed in water-tight containers into which they may be readily placed in regular and neat arrangement and fromwhich they may be conveniently removed after having been refrigerated.

Another object of my invention is to provide apparatus of the above indicated character which admits of comestibles being simultaneously treated in large quantities while substantially each comestible may be brought into close relation with the action of the refrigerant thereby insuring that the comestibles will be refrigerated.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus to effect the foregoing purposes which is economical to construct and in which the several containers adapted to hold the comestibles are substantially devoid of any rough parts or projections that are likely to bruise or abrade the comestibles thereby impairing their marketability.

A further ob ect of m invention is to provide a container for refiigerati-ng comestibles which is simple in construction and comprises integral side walls and a bottom wall that are formed from a single piece of sheet metal and into which the end portions of the container may be readily fitted and secured to provide water-tight joints. Moreover, by means of the construction that I employ, I am able to provide a cheap container having a substantially smooth interior. Such a container will permit of the comestibles contained therein, when frozen into a solid cake tobe removed easily and with less thawing than would otherwise be necessary if any projections were embodied in the container.

For a better understanding of the nature, scope and characteristic features of my present invention, reference may be had to the following description and the accompany ing drawing, in whichquickly and uniformly Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for refrigerating comestibles which is constructed in accordance with my invention;

' Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the end portions comprised in the separate containers of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a sheet metal member employed in the manufacture of a container embodying a form of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1 and showing in detail the method for securing the sheet metal .members of my container to each other;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing a modified form of assembly for the sheet members of a container constructed in accordance with my present invention; and

Fig. '2 is a View similar to Figs. 5 and 6,

excepting that another modified form of construction is herein illustrated.

Referring to Fig. 1, an apparatus is illustrated comprising a plurality of spaced sideby-side and separate containers 10, shown in this particular apparatus as constituting four in number. The containers 10 are suspended from a top plate 11 that is perforated at proper intervals in order to receive in spaced relation the several containers 10. The top plate 11 is provided with a lateral and downwardly extending peripheral flange 12 which is recessed at one corner, such as at 13, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that each of the containers 10 is provided with a peripheral and laterally extending flange comprising side portions 13 and end portions 14. The adjacent flanges 13 of the side-by-side containers 10 are su perimposed upon each other, as shown in Fig. 2, and are secured to the underlying portion of the top plate 11 by means of rivets 15 which extend through the superimposed flanges 13 as well as the top plate 11. The end flanges 14 of each container 10 are bent-over as shown best in Fig. 1, and are riveted to the laterally extending flange 12 of the top plate 11. While the several containers 10 are suspended from the top plate 11 and are permanently secured thereto, it is desirable to further brace and support the containers which are comparatively narrow in width and possess a comparatively great depth. To this end, a plurality of spaced and narrow bracing strips 16 embrace the several containers 10 and have their end portions 17 secured to the under side of the top plate 11. The top plate 11 is perforated adjacent to the end portions 17 of the bracing strips and through these perforations the projections 18 of the bracing strips 16 extend. The projections 18 are apertured, as shown, in order to admlt of the apparatus being bodily lifted by a crane or other suitable device engaging the lifting lugs 18.

As shown in Fig. 2, the several containers 10 are separated from one another to provide substantially unobstructed passageways 19 between them. Again,,U-shape spacing members 20 are placed intermediate ad acent containers 10 at their lower portions, these spacing means 20 being riveted to the bracing strips 16 to insure that the containers 1O willbe supported and spaced from one another at their lower portions. This 1s important since the apparatus is subject to considerable handling, and, moreover, it is essential tokeep the passageways 19 open and unobstructed in order that the refrigerant in which the apparatus is im mersed may come into close and intimate contact with the walls of the containers 10.

It will be observed that the containers 10 v are relatively narrow in width and are tapered longitudinally of their depth. As a result of thenarrow width of the containers 10, the comestibles disposed therein are brought into close contact with the refrigerant surrounding the containers which infrozen cakes will automatically be released from the containers in which they have been frozen. j

Reference may now be had to Figs. 3 and 4 which illustrate the members from which the containers 10 are made. A piece of sheet metal is formed into an elongated U-shape, as represented in Fig. 4, to provide integral side walls 31 and a bottom wall 22 for the container. The two side walls 21 taper convergingly toward the bottom wall 22, and

along their upper portions are provided with the laterally extending flanges 13. End portions 24 of Fig. 3 are then fitted into the elongated U-shape member of Fig. 4. The end portions 24 are provided with laterally extending flanges 25 that, in the built-up container 10, project exteriorly of the interior of the container, as shown in Fig. 1. The flanges 25 of the end portions 24 are then secured in any suitable manner-I have shown them as being riveted-to the walls comprising the U-shape member of Fig. 4. The end portions 24 have their upper ends bent-over to form the flanges 14 of Fig. 1, which are flush with the flanges 23 formed on the U-shape member of Fig. 4.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it is to be observed that the flanges 13 and 14 of the container 10 are bent-over to provide rounded corners for the periphery of the opening formed in said container. By reason of the method which I employ in making my container 10, it will be apparent that such a device may be readily assembled because all of the riveting or other means adapted for securing the members to each other is performed exteriorly of the container where the connecting parts are readily accessible.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated in detail how the lateral flange 25 ofthe end member 24 is rivet-ed to the side walls 21 of the container 10 by means of rivets 26. By placing the rivets 26 sufliciently clt se to one another the joints between the end members 24 and the side walls 21, as well as the bottom wall 22, will be made water-tight and thus the brine or refrigerant in which the apparatus is immersed is precluded from entering within the container.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the periphery of the walls 21 as being provided with a twoply portion 27 between which the lateral flange 25 of the endmember 24 is received. The rivets 26 are then extended to secure the two-ply portion 27 and the flange 25 to each other.

In Fig. 7, the adjacent flanges 25 of the end member 24 and the side walls 21 are secured to each other through the agency of a U-shapemember 28 which straddles the two members along their co-extending portions. The rivets 26 are then passed through the two legs of the U-shape me1nber 28 and the interposed flange 25 and side wall 21 of the container 10-.

By referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the peripheries of the openings of the several containers 10 are rounded in order to prevent the bruising or abrading of comics tibles which may be disposed in said containers for refrigerating purposes.

In employing the apparatus of my present invention, the comestibles are preferably inserted within the several containers 10 by arranging the comestibles in a scoopshaped receiver wherein they may be tightly and regularly packed so as to eliminate as many air spaces as possible. The comestibles, which in most instances will usually be fish, are then inserted en masse, through the agency of this scoop-shaped receiver,

. into the containers 10 from which the scoopshaped receiver is then withdrawn, leaving the comestibles tightly packed within the containers. After-the containers 10 have been filled with the fish, the whole apparatus is immersed in a refrigerant or brine solution to a level below the lower edge of the flange 12 of the top plate 11, but inex'cess of the top of the comestibles contained within the containers; As a consequence, the comestibles within the containers 10 will be readily refrigerated since the refrigerant comes in contact with the comestibles on all sides excepting the top of the containers 10. After the comestibles have been refrigerated, the apparatus is removed from the brine solution and then may be subjected to the action of faucet water which hastily releases the frozen cakes into which the comestibles have been frozen from the walls of the containers 10. By inverting the containers 10, the frozen cakes of comestibles may be readily removed. It is highly desirable to keep the refrigerant fromdirect contact with the comestibles and to this end the recess 13 formed in the flange 12 permits, when theappara'tus is inverted, as explained above, any brine or refrigerating solution "dripping from the containers 10 to flow from the apparatus without the likelihood of the frozen comestibles being contaminated by the refrigerating solution. This process of handling comestibles and an apparatus for carrying out this process are fully and adequately described in my copending patent application entitled Method and apparatus for handling comestibles, Serial N 0. 507,170, filed October 12, 1921. Q

It is highly desirable when building the apparatus of my present invention that the various elements thereof be so proportioned and selected as to their weights that the apparatus, when packed with the comestibles to be refrigerated, will be buoyed up sufficiently to keep the containers at approximately the desired depth in the refrigerant.

\Vhilc I have described my invention in detail and illustrated several embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the U. S. is

1. An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprisinga top supporting plate having a peripheral and downwardly extending flange, a plurality of spaced side-byside containers suspended from said plate, a plurality of spaced bracing strips embracing said containers and having their ends secured to said top plate, and spacing members interposed between said containers at their lower portions and secured to said bracing strips.

2. An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a top plate, a plurality of spaced side-by-side containers suspended from said plate and being provided with peripheral and laterally extending flanges that are secured to said top plate'to providea water-tight upper surface for said apparatus, a plurality of spaced narrow bracing strips embracing said containers and having their ends secured to said top plate, and spacing members interposed between said containers in order to keep them permanently spaced from one another.

3. An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a top plate having a peripheral and downwardly extending flange, a recess formed in said flange, a plurality of spaced side-by-side containers suspended from said plate and havin their tops flush with'the top-surface of saih plate, a plurality of spaced narrow bracing strips embracing said containers and secured to sald top plate, and spacing membersinterposed between said containers at their bottom portion.

4;. An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a substantially waterity of spaced side-by-side narrow containers suspended from said plate and having open passageways interposed between them to .permit of the free circulation of the refrigerant about each container, and means for bracing and for spacing said containers from one another at their lower portions.

5. An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a supporting frame, a plurality of spaced side-by-side water-tight containers suspended from said supporting frame, each of said containers having lateral flanges, the opposed and adjoining flanges of neighboring containers being. superposed one upon the other, and means for securing the superposed flanges to each other in order to provide a water-tight upper surface for said apparatus.

6. -An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a supporting frame, a plurality of spaced side-by-side water-tight containers suspended from said supportingframe. each of said containers having lateral flanges, the opposed and adjoining flanges of neighboring containers being superposed one upon the other, and means for securing thesuperposed flanges to each other in order to provide a water-tight upper surface for said apparatus, each of said containers possessing a narrow width and having a tapering form longitudinally of its depth.

' tibles in a refrigerating liquid comprising a compartment having an open end, and channels formed at the compartment wall edges at said open end for receiving refrigerating liquid adhering to the exterior walls of the compartment and to prevent such adhering liquid from coming into contact with the comestible when being removed through said open end.

9. An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles in a refrigerating liquid comprising a supporting frame, a plurality of spaced side by side compartments secured to said frame, said compartments being each provided with an open end, and channels around each of said open ends, said channels serving to receiverefrigerating liquid adhering to the exterior walls of the compartments and to prevent such liquid from coming intocontact with the comestible when the compartments are tilted for emptying.

10. An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles in-a refrigerating liquid comprising a top supporting frame, and a plurality of spaced side by side compartments secured to said frame, said compartments being each provided with an open end, and channels at each of said open ends, said frame comprising a peripheral member having outwardly and downwardly extending flanges forming a peripheral channel, said channels serving to receive refrigerating liquid adhering to the exterior walls of the compartments and to prevent such liquid from coming into contact with the comestible when the compartments are tilted for emptying.

11. An apparatus for refrigerating comestibles in a refrigerating liquid comprising a top supporting frame, and a plurality of spaced side by side compartments secured to said frame, said compartments being each provided with an open end, and channels at each of said open ends, said frame comprising a plurality of angle bars surrounding said compartments and forming channels connecting said first named channels, said channels serving to receive refrigerating liquid adhering to the exterior walls of the compartments and to prevent such liquid from coming into contact with the comestible when the compartments are tilted for emptying.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my name.

PAUL W. PETERSEN. Witness:

GEO. W. HANSEN. 

